What it's like to live in Commerce City
Commerce City is a smaller city in Colorado with household incomes running above the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Commerce City deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
How Commerce City compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Commerce City
Based on Commerce City's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,760
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $75,200 a year
- 57% of Commerce City renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$99,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $49,970
- Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 33% above US
$1,880/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,880 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $499,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $499,700 · 57% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 125% above US
742 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2492/100k · Commerce City Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 14% above US
30 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 17% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 87°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 28% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
22 public schools inside the boundary
There are 22 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Rocky Mountain National Park (57 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Commerce City's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,880/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (17% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Commerce City
All Colorado guides →Moving to Thornton →
7 mi away · pop. 144,187
Rent $1,895/mo · Income $103,088
Compare with Commerce City →Moving to Denver →
7 mi away · pop. 718,877
Rent $1,831/mo · Income $94,718
Compare with Commerce City →Moving to Brighton →
8 mi away · pop. 42,059
Rent $1,779/mo · Income $107,679
Compare with Commerce City →Not sure Commerce City is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.